Advertising Terminology 130

Useful websites 133

Index 134

Credits 135

About the University of 136 London Housing Services

129

Reference

Many property advertisements use a range of abbreviations and terms with which you may not be familiar. Frustratingly, the abbreviations are not always consistent. For example inc. and incl. are both abbreviations for inclusive, meaning that the bills are included in the rent.

In order to show how these abbreviations and terms are used we have written two typical advertisements, together with a translation of what they mean. These two advertisements include the majority of terms and abbreviations that you will come across.

First advertisement

Brockley Lrg bedsit. Nr stn. N/s prof pref. Dep/refs reqd. W/m, m/w, & all mod cons. £656 pcm Gch, Bills incl

Brockley Most adverts begin by saying where the property is. Brockley is an area of South East London (SE4).).

Lrg bedsit Large bedsit. A bedsit is a room with its own cooking facilities but where you would share the bathroom and toilet with other tenants.

Nr stn Near station.

N/s prof pref Non smoking professional (ie not a student) preferred.

Dep/refs reqd Deposit and references required.

Advertising Terminology

130 London Student Housing Guide

W/m, m/w Washing machine, Microwave.

all mod cons ‘All modern conveniences’. There is no precise definition of what this means. It could just mean you have a fridge and cooker. Ask what they mean by this phrase when you call them.

£656 pcm The rent is £656 per calendar month.

Gch Gas central heating.

Bills incl Utility Bills are included in the rent. Inclusive can also be abbreviated as ‘inc’

Second advertisement

Finsbury Park Dble en-suite room with p/shwr on grd flr in quiet hse. Share kit. Veg pref. Newly refurb. F/f. £140 pw. Bills excl. Cls to all amenities. 20 mins to central London. No DSS

Dble Double room. Please note that there is no agreed definition of a double room. Most of the time when landlords describe a room as a double, they are just indicating that a room is large rather than that it is for two people. Always check what they mean by this when you call.

en-suite rm An en-suite room is a bedroom with its own bathroom or shower.

p/shwr Power shower131Reference

grd flr Ground floor (ie street level)

quiet hse Quiet house.

veg pref Vegetarian preferred. The people you would be sharing with would prefer to share with another vegetarian.

Share kit Share kitchen with others.

Newly refurb Newly refurbished

F/f Fully furnished. The vast majority of property in London is rented furnished.

£140 pw. £140 per week. Bills excluded (ie you will need to pay bills Bills excl in addition to this rent)

Cls to all Close to shops, takeaways, restaurants amenities

20 mins to 20 minutes travelling time to central London. central London

No DSS The landlord will not accept Housing Benefit. This generally does not apply to students.

132 London Student Housing Guide

Starting

www.nationalcode.org.uk www.loot.comwww.gumtree.comwww.arla.comwww.nalscheme.co.ukwww.tpos.co.uk

www.zoopla.co.ukwww.rightmove.co.ukwww.equalityadvisoryservice.comwww.ncil.org.ukwww.ukcisa.org.uk

Planning

http://commonplace.arts.ac.uk/where-i-livewww.tfl.gov.ukwww.oystercard.comwww.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

www.energysavingtrust.org.ukwww.spendometer.co.uk

Looking

www.landregistry.gov.uk www.mydeposits.co.uk

www.tds.gd.comwww.depositprotection.com

Moving

www.tvlicencing.co.ukwww.endsleigh.co.uk

www.saxoninsurance.comwww.cover4students.com

Resolving

www.shelter.org.uk www.justice.gov.uk www.moneyclaim.gov.uk

www.citizensadvice.org.uk Agencies . . . . . . . . . 24, 100 Advice . . . . . . . . . . 126, 127

Useful websites

133Reference

Agencies . . . . . . . . . 24, 100

Advice . . . . . . . . . . 126, 127

Alternative Dispute Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Areas of London . . . . . . . . . . . 36, 37

Assignments . . . . 122, 123

Average Rent . . . . . . 38, 39

Bedsits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

Bills . . . . . . . . . . 63, 64, 109

Break Clauses. . . . . . . . . .90

Budgeting . . . . . . . . . .62, 63

Building Regulations . . . . . . . . . . 118

Buying a Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Central London . . . . .52, 53

Contracts . . . . . . . . . 84, 87

Council Tax. . . . 62, 64, 109

Court . . . . . . . . . . . 119, 120

Damage Deposit . . . . . . . . . . 94, 119

Disability

Discrimination Act . . . . . 33

East London . . . . . . . 44, 45

Environmental Health Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Energy Saving . . . . . . . . . 68

Families. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Gas Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Guarantors . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Halls of Residence . . . . . . . . . .14, 18

Holding Deposits . . . . . . . . . . .92, 93

Host Families . . . . . . . . . . 17

Hostels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Houses in Multiple Occupation . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Housing Act 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Insurance . . . . . . . . 60, 110

Inventory . . . . . . . 106, 107

Joint tenancy . . . . . . . . . . 87

Licensing of landlords . . . . . . . . . . .79, 81

Local authorities . . . .61, 81

Loot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Mice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Neighbours. . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 126

North London . . . . . .40, 41

North West London . . . . . . . . . . . .42, 43

Notice boards . . . . . . . . . 23

Overseas Students . . . . . . . . . . 30, 32

Postcodes . . . . . . . . . 38, 39

References . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Repairs. . . . . . . . . . 116, 118

Resident Landlord . . . . . . . . . . 16, 89

Safety . . . . . . . . . 58, 60, 82

Schedule of Condition . . . . . . . 105, 106

Sharing . . . . . 14, 15, 69, 70

Smoke detector. . . . . . . . 78

South East London . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 47

South West London . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 49

Studio Flats . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Tenancy Deposit Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . 95, 96

Tenancy Relations Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Transport . . . . . . 55, 56, 57

TV licence. . . . . . . . . . . .109

West London . . . . . . .50, 51

Index

134 London Student Housing Guide

Project Manager

Aisling Traynor University of London Housing Services

Contributions

Roland Shanks University of London Housing Services, various

Gemma Dormer University of London Housing Services, various

Kate Logsdon University of London Housing Services, ‘Repairs’ “Is your property and landlord licensed?’

Edward Rees University of London Housing Services, “Tenancy Deposit Protection’ ‘Damage deposits’

James Sewell University of London Housing Services, ‘Letting Agents’ ‘Agency

Charges’

Emma Nabavian London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, ‘Housing for international students’

Steven Hawdon Kings College London ‘Budgeting and Council tax’

Barry Hayward Goldsmiths, University of London, ‘Housing for students with disabilities’

Helen Deakin Transport for London ‘Getting Around’

Thanks to

University of London Union, Kings College London, Goldsmiths, University of London & University of the Arts London and Sam Nightingale (www.samnightingale.com)

for providing photographic material

Additional Photographic material:

Material: www.londonhostfamilies.com Richard Baker Haringey CouncilSean Wallis, Benedict Richards, Andy Wood, Richard Baker, Haringey Council, Nick Dolding, Visit East London-Tour East London, Camden Council, City of London, www.urban75.com, Lambeth Council, Ian Teh, Sam Nightingale, Dave Tett, Photogen, Fotolia, Simon Judd

Design

Simon Judd SJ Creative

studio@sj-creative.co.uk

www.sj-creative.co.uk

This is the 11th edition of the Guide and all those not mentioned here who assisted with the production of the first 10 editions, have also contributed to the success of this edition.

If you would like to order copies of, or, advertise in the guide, please contact housing@lon.ac.uk

Credits

135Reference

If you attend one of our member Universities or Colleges then we offer a range of services to help you find private accommodation and resolve any issues you may experience.

Check our website to see if your University or College is a member:

www.housing.Ion.ac.uk > About us > Who is this site for

How we can help you:Online searchable housing database

Contract checkingLegal advice and support on housing issues

Housing eventsFlatsharing messageboard

Contact us: www.housing.Ion.ac.uk 020 7862 8880 housing@Ion.ac.uk @ULHS fb.me/UoLHousingServices